Those who wear contact lenses could have to delay while their eyeballs revert back to their regular form before having the surgery performed, implying they will need to wear eyeglasses until the day of the procedure. They might likewise have to don eyeglasses to adjust the vision in the one eyeball that is not fixed according to the obtainable laser eye surgery facts.

Success Rates Are In Prospective Patients’ Favor

In spite of many risks involved the chances for a successful surgery are stronger than one might believe as there are many more chronicles of successes than of failures While the risk factors are capsulated in the laser eye operation facts, the experience and knowledge of the surgeon performing the process will greatly increase the chances of success.

The patient will be under localized anesthetic just with a local sedative for the eyeball on which the operation is being executed. In most instances, the patient will leave the clinic the same day to set about the healing process and with the proper follow up maintenance, after their recuperation they will be blessed with much stronger vision than they had pre-op.

The cost of the procedure is rather daunting for a lot of people, but when the cost of optic exams and spectacles over their life is estimated, the laser eye surgery facts call to attention that it can constitute a significant cost savings through the years following the operation.

Not everybody is an acceptable prospect for LASIK eye surgery There is however an alternative to lasik surgery.

A common alternative to LASIK surgery are Implantable Contact Lenses, also occasionally referred to as a permanent contact lens or ICl. An ICL is a soft lens that’s affixed to the eye for correcting nearsightedness. An Implanted Contact Lens is meant to be lasting, but it could be replaced if changes are called for in the future. Contrary to  LASIK eye surgery, the ICL operation is totally reversible.

In that respect there are definite advantages to ICL over LASIK. For instance, with LASIK eye surgery, permanent alterations are made to your eye and those alterations are something you will have to live with. If everything went well with the LASIK procedure then clearly there is no issue, however occasionally it does not go as hoped and as such you’re stuck with it. In complete contrast, Implantable Contact Lenses may removedt at any time if rectifications are required.

If you have previously worn contact lenses, you already live with  the bothers of normal contacts – cleaning, soaking, removing and replacing, etc. But with implantable contact lenses, all those annoying tasks immediately disappear. The implants are lasting and ought never need any tending unless your vision changes as you age. Implantable contact lenses offer the same vision improvements as normal temporary contact lenses, only they call for none of the attention and upkeep of standard contact lenses.

The ICL routine is generally executed on an outpatient basis and you will feel little or no pain. A gentle sedative is dispensed to provide a calming effect and a 1/8 inch surgical incision is created for insertion of the lens. When inserted, the lens is properly positioned. In virtually all cases, sutures are not needed to close the incision point. If you are getting the operation performed on both eyes, they will both be accomplished in a single session. The whole process is normally accomplished within about 30 minutes.

Upon completion of the ICL procedure, you will be directed to a ‘post-op’ area for recovery. When staff members ascertain that you’re stable, you will be sent off home to unwind for the rest of the day. You will need to come back the following day for a follow-up exam, just to make certain that everything is alright.

On that point may be some mild haziness upon completion of the implantation, but this typically clears itself within a brief time period. Most patients experience fast improvements in vision, with approximately 90% of normal vision restored within the first 24 hours. Usually, your vision on the second day will be good decent to allow you to drive yourself to the examination.

The primary issue of worry with implantable contact lenses is the risk of infection. Once detected it will be sorted out, so it is important to keep in touch with your medical team.

Implantable contact lenses are a sensible alternative to LASIK eye surgery for patients who have trouble with distance vision. Notwithstanding this , ICL does not help you if you require reading glasses.

LASIK eye surgery is probably the safest, quickest and easiest way to improve your vision. The healing process happens quickly and for most patients, the process is uneventful. However, in spite of all the cards being stacked in your favor, it is important that you follow the recovery procedure your doctor has outlined for you in order to insure a speedy recovery without any complications.

First and foremost, you’ll need to apply the medications prescribed by your doctor according to the established schedule. In most cases, you’ll have a steroid based medication that you’ll apply quite frequently during the first four hours after LASIK eye surgery. Also, you may have antibiotic eye drops that will help prevent any infection. Be sure to adhere to the schedule with these medications, especially during the first four hours.

After the first four hours, you’ll still use these same medications, but the frequency will be reduced to one every six hours.

You should also have a supply of artificial tears to provide lubrication to your eye. Use these drops according to the established schedule and also at anytime your eyes feel dry. Keeping your eyes moist greatly enhances the healing process, so don’t skimp on the artificial tears.

As you start to get back into your normal daily activities, there are certain things you’ll need to avoid -

– Don’t get involved in any activities that could result in an object coming into contact with your eyes.
– When you shower, don’t allow the water stream to hit your eyes.
– Don’t get soap or shampoo in your eyes.
– Don’t get dust or pet hair in your eyes.
– Don’t rub your eyes.
– Don’t go out in bright sunlight without sun glasses.
– Don’t let your eyes get too dry – use the artificial tears as often as needed.
– Don’t rub your eyes while you’re sleeping – a special mask, provided by your doctor will protect your eyes while sleeping.

It is absolutely imperative that you faithfully follow your doctor’s schedule for medications, especially during the first week after your procedure. You’ve probably been given a steroid based medication to promote quick healing, so be sure to use it. Also, you may have been prescribed antibiotic eye drops to prevent an infection, so be sure to use them as recommended.

Your eyes are important and you’ll want to protect them thru the healing process. Be absolutely sure to follow your doctor’s instructions and you should have a quick, successful recovery!

Refractive surgery (LASIK) often produces amazing results, however, as with any medical procedure, there are risks involved. If you’re considering LASIK, it’s important that you are aware of the limitations and possible complications that may arise.

According to FDA reports, nearly 100% of LASIK patients have good results and no complications, but you need to be aware that there are things that can and do go wrong. Some problems include double or triple vision, light distortion so severe that patients can’t drive at night, or eyes so dry that they have to wear goggles when going outside.

Some patients experience infections, inflammation of the eye, redness, blurriness or eye irritation. In many cases, LASIK eye surgery can eliminate your need for corrective lenses, but that’s not always the result. Sometimes, LASIK will drastically reduce your dependence on corrective lenses, but you may still require corrective lenses for some activities, such as reading. It’s best to think of LASIK as reducing your dependency upon corrective lenses – not necessarily as eliminating your need for them.

Diffuse lamellar keratitis is a post operative LASIK risk that happens when a foreign substance, such as a hair or speck of dirt gets trapped behind the corneal flap. If this happens to you, you may experience pain, light sensitivity, blurred vision, along with the sensation that something is trapped in your eye. Rubbing will only intensify the problem and may lead to further complications, such as infection or tearing or dislodging of the corneal flap. Diffuse lamellar keratitis usually occurs as the result of the patient not exercising proper precautions during the healing period after LASIK eye surgery.

One of the most common complications of LASIK eye surgery is a slipped flap. The flap that was created during the LASIK procedure may become detached from the rest of the cornea. Most doctors recommend that you go home and sleep for several hours after completing the LASIK procedure in order to allow the cornea to start its healing process. That’s good advice and can substantially reduce your chances of experiencing a slipped flap.

Even without LASIK eye surgery, it’s expected that everyone’s eyes will change slightly with the passage of time – it’s just a natural part of life. After LASIK, your eyes will still follow their natural course of changing with time, so LASIK shouldn’t necessarily be considered a permanent solution. For most people however, their vision will not change enough to require any additional treatments, especially when the original procedure was done to correct for poor distant vision.

The information provided here is not intended to scare you away from LASIK eye surgery, since it has been a blessing to a great many people. For many who have chosen LASIK, it has meant that they are no longer dependent on corrective lenses in order to have good vision. It’s highly recommended that you talk with your doctor about LASIK and how any possible risks or side effects relate to your own personal circumstances.

LASIK eye surgery can perform miracles – it can give you relief from wearing corrective lenses. It can cure nearsightedness, astigmatism and farsightedness. The procedure is quick and painless, offering almost immediate results. And due to advances in technology and the wide demand for this type of service, LASIK is quite economical.

LASIK eye surgery is now so common that millions of people have decided that it was time to abandon their corrective lenses, once and for all. There are so many LASIK clinics that you’re likely to find one close by, no matter where you live.

With LASIK vision correction procedures, most patients experience new, clear vision that’s potentially near perfect.

There are a great many benefits to LASIK eye surgery -

1) Clear vision
2) Eliminate the need for corrective lenses
3) Easier participation if recreational activities
4) Better vision than when using corrective lenses
5) Boost in self-confidence
6) More career opportunities likely to be available
7) Your appearance will be enhanced
Eliminate infection risks associated with contact lenses
9) Procedure is quick and painless
10) Healing process happens fast
11) No more contact lens discomfort
12) Pass your driver’s license test without glasses
13) Glasses restriction removed from driver’s license
14) Newest technology precisely maps eye contour for near perfect results
15) Overall vision, including peripheral vision improves
16) Quick, almost immediate results
17) Solves most vision problems – nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism

LASIK eye surgery has become more affordable in recent times. The technology has made significant improvements and the process is essentially automated to a large extent. The more progressive LASIK eye surgery centers invest heavily in the latest technology, automating not only the actual LASIK procedure, but also the data gathering process that happens first, during your evaluation. You eyes are examined by a computer and precise contour data is recorded. This data is then used during the surgery procedure to make sure that your resulting vision will be as close to perfection as possible.

For the last several years, doctors have been hesitant to recommend LASIK eye surgery for patients who were farsighted.

Such patients could see clearly at a distance, but had trouble focusing on close up objects. This is a common problem for many people as they age and usually starts showing symptoms in the early to late 40s. The first sign of becoming farsighted is that these people have to hold reading material farther and farther away in order to be able to focus clearly. Eventually, they find that their arms are no longer lengthy enough to achieve proper focus.

LASIK eye surgery can resolve the problem of being farsighted, but at the expense of losing distance focusing. A typical farsighted person can see distant objects with no problem, but while LASIK surgery can solve the close focusing problem, the distance focusing is sacrificed in the process. Most people would consider this as just trading one problem for another.

However, research has shown that there is a way that LASIK eye surgery can help patients that suffer from farsightedness. It seems that the brain possesses powerful capabilities when processing images. The LASIK solution for farsightedness is to perform the procedure on one eye only, hence the name ‘monocular’.

An eye exam is used to determine which eye is best suited for distance viewing and that eye remains unaltered. The other eye undergoes the LASIK procedure and is then optimized for close object focusing. When the patient views an object, whether it’s near or far away, the brain accepts images from both eyes and merges the images thru complex processing. In essence, one eye focuses on far away objects and the other eye focuses on close up objects. The brain uses both images and the end result is that patients can now see close up and far away – problem solved!

If you’re at the age where you’ve just begun to notice your farsightedness, it may be best to wait a couple of years before having the LASIK eye surgery. The reasoning is that during the initial onset of farsightedness, your eyes tend to change frequently, so if you have the procedure done too early, your changing eyes could negate the results in a year or two, so you may need to have the procedure repeated. If you wait until your eyes stabilize, or at least the changing process slows, you’re likely to realize longer lasting results.

Many LASIK surgery doctors have been offering an option when you elect to have the procedure – for a fairly small extra fee, they’ll provide you with lifetime repeat procedures for free if they’re ever needed. This way, if your eyes do change as you age, you can have the LASIK procedure repeated at no additional cost. This can be a wise investment if you’re in the 40 to 50 age group.

If you have the monocular vision correction procedure, you’ll find that it does take a little getting used to. After all, your eyes have been providing very similar signals to your brain for a long time. Now that each eye focuses differently, your brain has to adapt and process the different images into a single view.

Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) laser eye surgery has been safely used for several years. It’s actually the forerunner of LASIK eye surgery.

Not everyone is a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery. Even though there have been many recent advances in LASIK, there are certain circumstances where PRK laser surgery is recommended over LASIK eye surgery. For instance, if the patient has large pupils or an unusalyy thin cornea, the doctor may suggest PRK.

PRK or LASIK – What’s the Difference?

Your cornea is made up of layers. The top, or outer layer, called the epithelium, is soft and has the ability to heal quickly. The layer underneath is called the stroma – this does not regrow, and it’s the area that’s targeted by the LASIK procedure.

With LASIK eye surgery, a small flap is cut from the cornea, the flap is folded back out of the way and the laser reshapes beneath the surface of the cornea.

However, with PRK laser eye surgery, no flap is created, since the cornea itself is reshaped by removing thin layers of cells from the outer surface. The surgeon uses the laser to vaporize a portion of the epithelium to gain access to the stroma layer underneath.

Unlike LASIK eye surgery, which boasts a quick recovery time, PRK patients experience a longer recovery time. Also, you’ll experience greater pain and discomfort after the procedure. You may even notice blurred or hazy vision for as long as two months after surgery. You won’t actually see the results of the surgery until after this two month period.

Some Side Effects of PRK

It’s common that PRK patients experience eye dryness and must use lubricating eye drops or artificial tears as a remedy. Also, the doctor will probably prescribe antibiotics to prevent possible infection. In many cases, night vision suffers, often becoming worse that before the PRK procedure, although daytime vision usually improves. Driving at night is not advised for the first few months, since glare and halo effects could cause safety concerns.

Since the PRK procedure actually removes a portion of the epithelium, patients usually are required to wear a temporary bandage contact lens for protection for five or six days, until the epithelium regenerates.

Advantages of PRK

About 80% of the patients who undergo PRK laser surgery no longer rely upon corrective lenses. PRK surgery is a safe procedure that boasts an impressive rate of success. If you’ve worn glasses or contact lenses for years, you’ll be quite happy with your new, clear vision.

Remember, laser eye surgery is permanent, but as time goes by, your eyes can still change due to the natural aging process. Some doctors offer an inexpensive upgrade so that if you ever need the procedure repeated, it’s done at no additional cost. If your at an age where your eyes are likely to be changing, say in your 40s or 50s, you should strongly consider this option.

When it comes to choosing between PRK laser eye surgery and LASIK, it depends upon your personal circumstances. Your doctor will complete an eye exam and make the proper recommendation.

Not everyone is a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery. But what if you still want to improve your vision while reducing or eliminating the need for glasses or contacts?

A popular alternative to LASIK eye surgery is ICL, or Implantable Contact Lens, also sometimes referred to as a permanent contact lens. An ICL is a soft lens that is attached to the eye for correcting nearsightedness. An Implanted Contact Lens is intended to be permanent, but it can be replaced if changes are needed in the future. Unlike LASIK eye surgery, the ICL procedure is completely reversible.

There are certain advantages to ICL over LASIK. For example, with LASIK, permanent changes are made to your eye and those changes are something you’ll have to live with. If the LASIK procedure worked out you’re OK, but if it didn’t, you’re stuck with it. In stark contrast, Implantable Contact Lenses can be changed out at any time if corrections are needed.

If you’ve previously worn contact lenses, you already know the hassles of normal contacts – cleaning, soaking, removing and replacing, etc. But with implantable contact lenses, all those frustrations immediately disappear. The implants are permanent and should never require any attention unless your vision changes as you age. Implantable contact lenses provide the same vision improvements as normal temporary contact lenses, but they require none of the attention and maintenance of normal contact lenses.

The ICL procedure is usually done on an outpatient basis and you’ll experience little or no pain. A mild sedative is administered to provide a calming effect and a 1/8 inch incision is made for insertion of the lens. Once inserted, the lens is properly positioned. In almost all cases, sutures are not required to close the incision point. If you’re having the procedure performed on both eyes, they’ll both be completed in a single session. The entire procedure is usually completed within about 30 minutes.

Upon completion of the ICL procedure, you’ll be sent to a ‘post-op’ area for recovery. Once staff members determine that you’re stable, you’ll be sent home to relax for the remainder of the day. You’ll need to return the next day for a follow-up exam, just to make sure that everything is OK.

There may be some mild haziness upon completion of the implantation, but this usually clears itself within a short period of time. Most patients see quick improvements in vision, with about 90% of normal vision restored within the first 24 hours. Normally, your vision on the second day will be good enough to allow you to drive yourself to the examination.

The main issue of concern with implantable contact lenses is the risk of infection. Infection is a serious condition that can result in the loss of vision, so your doctor will take the necessary precautions while performing the procedure.

Implantable contact lenses are a reasonable alternative to LASIK eye surgery for patients who have trouble seeing at a distance. However, ICL does not help you if you need reading glasses.

The Lasik operation can be a wonderful, life-changing option for many people whose vision is less than perfect.  There are several different types of Lasik operations now available, from the original and well documented procedure to Lasik procedures done with three dimensional wavefronts, or done entirely with lasers.  Each of these variations of the Lasik procedure should be discussed with the physician that is to perform the operation.
Like any surgery, Lasik does have the potential for side effects.

Sometimes reading the horror stories of the outcomes of a Lasik procedure can deter people from seriously considering such a choice.  It is also true that the vast numbers of people who have a successful, trouble-free Lasik surgery tend not to report a long and detailed story of their experience, unlike those that have experienced trouble afterward.

However, it is good to know what the possible side effects of the Lasik procedure are, and also the likelihood that one of these side effects will occur for a particular patient.  Just like any medicine we take, each has a possible number of side effects, but we generally assume that the likelihood of a serious side effect is small, and we take the medicine anyway.  This article will hopefully put concerns of the prospective Lasik patient into perspective so that they can calmly and thoughtfully ponder having a Lasik procedure done in the future.

More than one million Lasik eye surgery procedures are done in the US every year, according to the FDA.  This arm of the national government has accumulated the following statistics for the most common side effects of the Lasik procedure.  These statistics will also vary by the physician performing the surgery, so make sure to get as much information on the prospective Lasik physician as possible.

After Lasik surgery, 1.7 percent of patients experience some glare or sensitivity to light after the operation.   This varies by patient, but this sensitivity is especially noticeable when looking at a bright light, such as a streetlight when walking at night, or other strong light and dark contrast.  Another light related side effect is a halo around a light, and this occurs in 3.5 percent of Lasik patients.

The new, corrected vision can be noticed quickly by some Lasik patients, in as little as a few hours after surgery.  Most patients that have undergone the Lasik procedure find the change is permanent within a few days.  In 2.6 percent of clients that have had a Lasik procedure done, there is persistent visual fluctuation within at least a part of their sphere of vision.

Finally, some patients do not get a fully corrected sphere of vision after their Lasik procedure.  This happens with a small number of clients, and the FDA statistics are that only 3 percent of patients have this effect.  In all or nearly all cases, the physician in charge will perform an additional Lasik procedure to improve this.

This detailing of the major permanent side effects of the Lasik eye surgery procedure should put any personal horror stories into perspective.  Notice that none of the percentages are above 3 percent, and this should bring comfort to most prospective Lasik clients.  However, it should also motivate them to look carefully at the Lasik physician’s personal record.

A number of people who are considering the Lasik procedure to correct their nearsightedness or farsightedness have of some potential problems of Lasik, and are wondering if there are other options.  Though more than 95 percent of the Lasik patients have a very successful procedure without any major side effects, there are choices for people who wish to improve their vision.  Let’s compare two, and discuss these choices with a reputable ophthalmologist.

Traditional Lasik eye surgery uses a scalpel to create a small flap in the eye, and then a laser reshapes the eye in order to focus accurately.  There are two more recent forms of Lasik, one that entirely uses a laser and does away with the scalpel.  Another variation uses a three dimension waveform for people with unusual eye shapes, and both of these are worth discussing with your ophthalmologist.

Those people with very thin corneas or other issues that make Lasik not a good candidate for their particular case can consider implantable contact lens surgery.  This is known as ICL in the eye surgeon’s lingo, and is a good alternative to Lasik to permanently correct vision.  These lenses function in exactly the same way as removable lenses, except that they remain permanently in the eye.  Like Lasik, they reshape the eye in order for it to focus accurately.  The patient will not feel the lens once the operation has been performed.

Lasik and ICL are similar in several ways.  Lasik can improve vision affected by nearsightedness and astigmatism, and ICL can improve these vision deficiencies also.  Both Lasik and ICL also have some of the same risks, one of these being that the correction is not accurate after the first operation is done.  Lasik is a much more frequently performed procedure, and less than 3 percent (according to the FDA) of these patients need to undergo additional surgery to further correct vision after the first Lasik procedure is done.

Like any operation, there is a chance of infection in either a Lasik procedure or an ICL operation.  Good post-operative care by the patient will minimize this and regular checkups at the Lasik or eye care center will nearly always clear this up without further complication.  In a small percentage of the cases, either Lasik or ICL patients may not achieve perfect vision and may need to continue to wear corrective eyewear, though usually not at the same strength as the original eyewear.

One advantage of ICL over Lasik is that ICL is a reversible procedure, where the implanted lens can be removed later if that becomes necessary.  Lasik involves the reshaping of the cornea to bring objects accurately into focus, and is permanent.  However, for a typical, healthy patient either Lasik or ICL will generally bring about the desired improvement in vision.

Lasik is generally a less invasive procedure, and this is reflected in the current cost of the operation.  The current price for a Lasik procedure is between $500 and $2500 per eye, depending on the type of procedure and the presiding physician.  A typical price for ICL is between $1500 and $3000 per eye.  Do some investigation into the options offered, and select the eye procedure that is best for your personal case.